Lynx Meal and Majestic Bison: Rewilding Europe Award Recognises 5 Best Shots
The Rewilding Europe Award has selected the best photos on the topic of rewilding - the return of wild species to the natural environment.
This was reported by Rewilding Europe.
In 2024, the main award was given to a photo by Swedish photographer Staffan Widstrand called Iberian Lynx. The Iberian or Spanish lynx was caught by the artist's lens while holding its prey in its teeth. According to the jury, this photo demonstrates the resurgence of one of Europe's most iconic predators and highlights the importance of the ‘relationship dynamic’ between predator and prey.
‘Staffan's photograph perfectly captures the magic of rewilding. His images are not just about the beauty of the lynx. It's about restoring the health and functionality of nature, and the broader benefits of reintroducing a species that can help shape the environment,’ says the jury.
The second prize in this year's competition went to Bernhard Schubert with his work ‘The Danube Salmon Environment’. The jury said that Schubert's ‘vibrant river ecosystem that comes to life illustrates the power of river transformation’.
Another work shortlisted this year is Seeds of Hope by Lewis Jeffery. This image captures the attempts of conservationists to preserve seagrasses, the only flowering plants that grow in the marine environment.
The photo prize also recognised the work ‘Hope for the Future of Our Rivers’ by Arthur de Bruyn, who captured the release of sturgeon into one of Europe's rivers.
Florian Smith's King of the East was also shortlisted. The photo depicts a majestic European bison in the Białowieża Forest National Park in Poland.
The Rewilding Europe Award is presented as part of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition organised by the German Society of Nature Photographers.
The best works of this year's Rewilding Europe Award will be honoured at the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 award ceremony during the GDT International Nature Photography Festival on 25-27 October.
The first and second prize winners will receive €1,000 and €500 respectively, and their work will be included in an exhibition that will travel across Europe over the next three years.